Broncos Player Profile: Tycen Anderson

After losing P.J. Locke in free agency to the Dallas Cowboys on March 10, the Denver Broncos found another safety in Tycen Anderson, who signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the team on March 19. Here’s more information on the Broncos newest addition to their secondary.

St. John’s Jesuit High School and Academy (Toledo, Ohio) — Class of 2017

Anderson is a native of Toledo, Ohio, and played high school football at St. John’s Jesuit High School and Academy, where he recorded 14 interceptions in three seasons, also earning first-team all-conference, first-team all-district, and first-team all-state honors as a senior. 

On3 and Rivals rated the 6-foot-2, 205-pound safety as a three-star prospect, while he also participated in basketball and track and field. Anderson placed third in the Ohio state championship in the long jump as a junior. 

Toledo (2017-2021)

Despite offers from the Air Force Academy, Kentucky, Bowling Green, and Eastern Kentucky, Anderson decided to stay in his hometown and committed to play college football for the Toledo Rockets. 

The NCAA granted Anderson a fifth year of eligibility after the coronavirus pandemic shortened his senior season. In five seasons with the Rockets, Anderson played in 54 games and recorded 229 total tackles, 19 pass deflections, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles. 

Football isn’t the only thing Anderson succeeded in at Toledo, as he was named an Academic All-MAC three times and graduated with a degree in professional sales major in the College of Business before deciding to pursue his MBA.

Cincinnati Bengals (2022-2025)

Anderson’s stay in Ohio continued when the Cincinnati Bengals selected him in the fifth round, 166th overall, in the 2022 NFL Draft. Anderson did not record any stats in his rookie season after the team placed him on injured reserve on September 2, 2022.

The following season, Anderson secured a spot as a backup safety on the Bengals’ depth chart and also became a key special teams player. Although Anderson saw the field in his second season, he only played seven games after the Bengals placed him on injured reserve again following a torn ACL injury against the San Francisco 49ers on November 3, 2023. 

In four seasons with Cincinnati, Anderson played in 41 games and had 41 tackles and one pass deflection. If Anderson can remain healthy, he can be an asset to Vance Joseph’s defense and can play an important role for the Broncos as a special teams player like his new teammate Devon Key did in 2025.